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Home , Assif Tsahar, Billy Bang, Carl Hancock Rux, Daniel Carter (musician), Dominic Duval, Farmers by Nature

FREE FESTIVAL FOR A JUST FUTURE FESTIVAL FOR A JUST FUTURE Board of Directors Patricia Ali, Jo Wood Brown, Jeffrey Cohen, Harold Connolly, , NOW IS THE TIME TO SUPPORT ART THAT HEALS US David Kreuter, Fred Moten, Todd Nicholson, William Parker, Patricia Nicholson Parker, Patricia Wilkins AND STANDS FOR A JUST WORLD Staff Donald Trump is no joke. Our way of life and the Art we love is under attack. AFA: Todd Nicholson, Patricia N. Parker, Melanie Dyer, Sean Madigan, Miriam Parker, Still Arts for Art maintains our commitment to keep alive in hearts and minds, all of the Lucas LeBellec, Richard Berger (volunteer) Technical: Nobu Awata, InConcert Audio (Serena Rockower, Don Jacobs), idealism, integrity and sense of responsibility that has inspired previous generations. Eriq Robinson, Aki Endo (JOA Productions) Chef: Shashanka Menard We support the Present by remembering and respecting the Past and Preparing a Design: Bill Mazza, Aki Natori Video: Michael Lucio Sternbach Future where Improvisation and Freedom have a place. Cover Photo: Peter Gannushkin YOUR SUPPORT MAKES THIS POSSIBLE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR I MOVED TO NEW YORK in 1997, drawn by the music that I associated with this Arts for Art presents Free Jazz as a sacred art form, based in the Ideals of Mecca of creative voices, ego and hardship. Upon arriving, uncertain if I could carve a Freedom, Justice and Excellence. niche of my own in the jazz world, I joined rock bands and had a good time. In 1999, I The art expresses our sense of hope and belief in the possibility of freedom, a went to the in the basement of St. Nicholas of Myra Church. It was there freedom to be our most unique self. So we push ourselves to do more, to redefine that I first encountered “the crew”: William Parker, Roy Campbell, , Kidd ourselves, our art and our communities. Jordan, and . Also a violinist—a Bronx native who had flown in from Berlin to perform at the festival. His name was , and he performed The music was built by self-determination. Where the artist defines and presents that year with his quartet the Jazz Doctors featuring . Little did I know that their work, not waiting for permission. two years later Mr. Bang would become the most significant mentor of my musical life, Hope, Freedom, and Self-determination are powerful ideas in any time, schooling me not only in the art of perpetual bass ostinatos, stage manner, dress code and particularly in this time. and no BS band leadership, but also “the business.” Booking tours and local gigs, flier de- sign, on the ground promotion (these were the days before Instagram Stories), budget- What we do or don’t do—does matter. We make a difference in our world and in our ing and payroll. I also learned the most important skill: the hustle. My job was to garner Lives by supporting what feeds our Souls. support for a bandleader in perpetuating his vision, creatively and commercially. If the Vision Festival and the Work of Arts for Art feeds Souls Soon I began at Arts for Art, arriving every weeknight after my day job to work with then you should support it. Patricia in the Parker home. It was the only time I could commit, and it was perfect for Patricia, a perpetual night owl. With playing weekly gigs with Bang at 55 Bar and Carpo’s, Our Humanity and Creativity needs a community of supporters who share our ideals. and four days a week on the street with Alex Lodico, I figured I could quit my day job and survive for at least a few months. I spent most of every day practicing. I was enjoying life. ENSURE ARTS FOR ART’S FUTURE On March 14, 2001, I went to Tonic to watch Billy play a set of solo violin, and met the ■ BECOME A MEMBER / DONATE TO ARTS FOR ART woman who would become my wife. One of my greatest memories of our courtship was ■ BE ACTIVE IN THE AFA COMMUNITY taking her to see Cooper-Moore’s trio, Triptych Myth. She loved it, bought his CD, “The Beautiful,” and we stayed for all three sets. Later we moved to Japan for six years where I Stop by the Arts for Art table at the Vision Festival. worked and played music. Or visit: artsforart.org/support In December 2014, I moved back to begin to take the reins of AFA. It is a challenge but the work is important. Arts for Art has been a force of uncompromising art and Connect with AFA on social media. Join the conversation! thought, and I can safely say that it has become an institution. — T odd Nicholson, Executive Director #VISION22 @artsforart THANK YOU DONORS FREE JAZZ FESTIVAL FOR A JUST FUTURE Vision Angels Fred Allen • Tom Carhart • Whit Dickey • Bresnan Family Fund Music is the Healing Force. This is what Ayler said and what we artists believe. John Schiek • Brad Smith Free Jazz can be the Sound of Resistance and at Vision 22, it is. Vision Improvisors And when we bring Free Jazz to the streets with Artists for a Free World Patricia Ali • Ray Brock • Jeffrey Cohen • Rackstraw Downes • Closey Giffen at demonstrations, the World is listening and we are encouraged. David Kreuter • Keith Martin Vision Supporters AFA Acknowledges Maria Arias • Guillermo Brown • Hal Connolly • Dr. Anja Engelsing • Scott Currie The generous support of the Jacob and Ruth Epstein Foundation, SMS David & Judy Gage • Leonid Galaganov • Daniel Kreuter • Anyez van Rozenburg Frank Rubolino • Peter Shwartz • Jane & Greg Smith • Marion Wyatt Foundation, New Music USA, Initiative Musik, the Robert D. Bielecki Foundation, The Silicon Valley Foundation, Council Member Margaret Chin, Vision Friends Council Member Rosie Mendez, and the many donations by Artists and Martin Albucher • Cristian Amigo • Marc Andren • Carmen Nana Ashhurst • Tracy Austin David Baberski • Judy Balos • Roberto Barahona • Gordon Beeferman • Daro Behroozi supporters of the Artist & Vision Campaigns. Louie Belogenis • Richard Berger • Sarah Bernstein • • Daniel Blacksberg The festival is made possible in part thanks to public funds from the Lawrence Blood • Karen Borca • Ann Braithwaite • Ray Brock • Nicole Brooks • New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) with the support of Governor • Don Byrd • Steve Cannon • Duane Capizzi • Juan Pablo Carletti • Geraldine Celerier Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. Aaron Cohen • John Colton • Connie Crothers • Joseph Daley • William Darkes • Wilbert De Joode Paul de Lucena • Renate de Rin • Jill Dowling • • Andrew Drury This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the Melanie Dyer • Lois Eby • Martin Ehrlich • Jeffrey Evans • Alan Feller • Xiau Fen Min Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the city council. • Joseph Fonda • Phaedrus Fondation • Mark Frederick • Barbara Frenz Alvin Friedman King • Gary Funston • Peter Gannushkin • Elise Gardella • Will Glass • Dean Goelz This project is supported in part by an award from the National Ben Goldberg • Louis Grassi • • Jennifer Griffith • Henry & Margaret Grimes Endowment for the Arts. Megan Hait • Ed Hazell • Klaas Hekman • Michael Heller • Gerald Hemingway Support through New Music USA’s NYC New Music Impact Fund is made Kathy Hendrickson • Jody Henenfeld • Tad Hendrickson • Bill Herbert • Peter Hirschl • David Hofstra • William Hooker • Lyn Horton • Kathleen Hughes possible with funding from The Scherman Foundation’s Jason Hwang • Olukemi Ilesanmi • Sean Jacobs • Penn Jillette • Joyce Jones • Eva Kapanadze Katharine S. and Axel G. Rosin Fund. Richard Keene • Thomas Keith • John King • Kyoko Kitamura • Steve Koenig • Masahiko Kono The performance of the Odean Pope Choir presented in Yonatan Kretzmer • Peter Kuhn • Daniel Kurfirst • Oliver Lake • Andrew Lamb • collaboration with the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and CapitalBop, is supported Matthew Lavelle • Marek Lazarski • Joelle Leandre • Edith Lettner • Ruoyang Li Carol Liebowitz • Amy Lipman • Susan Littenberg • Abby London Crawford • Zigi Lowenberg by Presenter Consortium for Jazz, a program of Chamber Music America Bernard Lyons • Pascal Marand • Timothy Marquand •Jonathan Matz • Bill Mazza funded through the generosity of the Charitable Foundation. Joseph McPhee • Sandeep Mehta • Pierre Menard • Abraham Mennen • Blake Nicholson Arts for Art thanks the Jazz Foundation of America for the work they do to Julie Nicholson • Robert Nicholson • Susan Nicholson • Patricia Parker • William Parker honor and restore great musicians in crisis. Silvia Pedrini • Danilo Powell-Lima • Brian Price • • • William Riordan Trinidad Rodriquez • Jason Roebke • Larry Roland • Michelle Rosewoman • Mara Rosenbloom We thank Two Boots Pizza and Whole Foods for food and beverage donations. S.A. Rosenstein • Luciano Rossetti • David Rue • Robert Sabin • Frank Sakalinis • Angelica Sanchez David Satkowski • Stephen Schmidt • Ron Scott • Dave Sewelson • Rex Shepherd Susan Sillins • Donald Walter Snowden • Lisa Sokolov • Northern Spy • Raissa St. Pierre Eric Stern • Wayne Stokes • • Richard Tabnik • Barry Thompson • Daniel Tricarico Joachem Van Dijk • Linda Vartoogian • Fay Victor • Monica Wagner • Kenny Warren Jason Weiss • Ken Weiss • David Weller • Leonard Welling • Lili White • Pat Wictor • Daniel Wiener Marc Wiener • Michael Wilderman • Tom Wilkins • Michael Wimberly • Adam Wojtuniak Andrea Wolper • Jo Wood Brown • Jeremy Young • Joy Zigo LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT | COOPER-MOORE [ Adam Lore, 50 ≈Miles of Elbow Room ]

“I believe it is my work to express in the Music, the pain of loss and injustice and to give expression to the victory of outlasting our losses and to our facing down adversity. And in the Music, I feel it a duty to remember the struggle and the overcoming, and to express faith, forbearance, and hope for a better world.”

COOPER-MOORE’S LIFE STORY, which can sometimes come across like a tall tale from the folk tradition that he often references, is full of an uncommon creativity and ingenuity. As a child growing up in segregated , the elders in his town recognized his facility with music and recruited him to be the pianist for their community; to perform at church events, plays, and other functions. This formative role, where music was both a service and a pleasure, helped to shape much of what was to come for him. As a young man, he was exposed to jazz via records and magazines, which became an important inspiration for the musical direction his life would take. Later he got to experience the music live and recalls “going to the mountaintop” when hearing and others who played music at the highest level. In those early years he also relished the excitement of going to nightclubs where people would carouse and carry on. His music has embraced both of these worlds, simultaneously intellectual / spiritual and earthy, expressed with power, energy, beauty, humor, brave daring, and a big heart. Music and art have also been a means for personal reinvention: a new name, new instruments of his own design and creation, new experiences, new relationships. He has performed for all levels of society: from the usual concert venues and clubs to the “high art” world, dance, theater, schools, storefront churches, parks, subway stations... anywhere there is an opportunity to connect with people. He has a special interest in using music and his instruments to teach life lessons to children in underserved areas throughout the and beyond. As one who wants to contribute to a better world, he is unafraid to prompt and provoke, to add tension and fire. He is restlessly creative and seeks freshness, which he often finds in mentoring and collaborating with younger musicians. He emphasizes rigor and high standards, leading by example and approaching every performance as a chance for a mutual peak experience with his audience. Cooper-Moore has said he was inspired to be a musician in order to serve people and to “be one of the cats.” This has been his path and our reward. It is wonderful that AFA and the community honor him now, in recognition of his substantial achievements, in gratitude for his crucial contributions, and in support of what is to come. Photo: Eva Kapanadze FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR FREE JAZZ FESTIVAL FOR A JUST FUTURE [ Patricia Nicholson Parker ] THE VISION FESTIVAL (22 years) AS ARTS FOR ART (AFA) celebrates twenty- WE STAND ON THE SHOULDERS of those who came before and who inspired two years of Vision, we are entering a new era full us to be our best, our most profound, and in fact, our most Visionary. of the promise of a growing community of creative peoples while at the same time threatened by We think of artists like John Coltrane, , , and , our government that does not value art or the and consider what our role must be to carry their legacy forward. diverse cultures that our united and expressed This year AFA joyfully celebrates Cooper-Moore who clearly represents the through Free Jazz. Yet we persist and grow stronger idealism and integrity of a Visionary. His uncompromised creativity makes together. him an important light as we stand under direct attack in a new more flagrant As I, Patricia Nicholson Parker, reflect on season of lies and assaults on our freedoms, our lives and our earth over 22 years of building Arts for Art into a as well as on our Art. viable NYC cultural institution, I am humbled But Art Makes a Difference. by what we—the artists, listeners, celebrants, practitioners, volunteers and administrators—have accomplished to preserve and advance Free Jazz. We struggle and We persist because we believe that this art is important, that it can be a powerful voice of Resistance, that it inherently stands for a just future while we find ourselves living in an unjust present. Hopefully, we are awakening from a time of the blind consumption of mass media, mass culture, block stores, contaminated water and engineered food. The Arts question and challenge us to remember who we are and to celebrate what makes us all human, all unique. I have always seen my role to serve and be willing to lead, in that order. But what I, we, you do is important and must be Visible Our Creativity gives hope, lifts hearts, helps us all to embrace our diversity our and Supported. uniqueness and our humanity. Artists for A Free World Band Arts for Art pushes the creative dialogue while developing new audiences I initiated Artists for a Free World Marching Band to bring Free Jazz into with presentations of legendary and emerging musicians, dancers, artists and the streets each week for a just inclusive world. Hearing the music in the poets at The Evolving Series, The U_L Salons and In Gardens. streets, makes sense. It is the Sound of Resistance. AFA’s Education Outreach programs are under the leadership of Melanie Dyer. Our community of Artists have been responding to the world in different ways thatare Music Is Mine (MiM) brings improvisation and music techiniques to personal, intense and spiritual. It is about the music, the art, passing through us. We elementary school children. The Visionary Youth Orchestra (VYO) is a free carry hope in our music dance art poetry. There is sometimes anger and some feel fear, program for young musicians of diverse backgrounds exploring improvised while others not. Our Beliefs will keep us strong and therefore help others more. Some music and free Jazz. demonstrate in the streets, others keep to the stage. The music, the art is touching the Vision Festival / AFA has consistently maintained a commitment to social hearts of those who hear and see us. responsibility. This year we initiated Artists for a Free World Marching band to bring Survival is a real challenge, especially for some—and we must survive— if we are indeed Free Jazz into the streets to be the Sound of Resistance. Throughout all of our events, vessels. Every way that the Art helps to inspire, give hope and encourage positive action AFA works to deepen engagement with communities to be more effective in serving

for a Just world we show that we are Artists for a Free World. Photo: David Moriya Photo: Lucus Noonan our communities . . . We believe that ‘What we do and don’t do—matters.’ IMPROVISING AGENCY CONFERENCE SUNDAY, MAY 28 THE SOUND OF RESISTANCE VISION FILMS | AT ANTHOLOGY FILM ARCHIVES 32 2nd Avenue, New York, NY 10003 Thursday, June 1, 2017 anthologyfilmarchives.org | 212-505-5181 9am - 5pm Grenada: The Future Coming Towards Us 3:45 by Nana Ashhurst, John Douglas, Samori Marksman Maison Française (Buell Hall) East Gallery On March 13, 1979, while Eric Gairy was out of Grenada, “the real 515 W 116th St, revolutionaries” of the New Jewel Movement (NJM), under the leadership of New York, NY 10027 Maurice Bishop, masterminded “a successful armed takeover of the True Blue army barracks and the island’s sole radio station.” On that day, the People’s SPEAKERS Revolutionary Government of Grenada (PRG) was born. Completed just months prior to the 1983 U.S. invasion, this documentary examines the aims Keynote: Fred Moten (University of California, Riverside) | “A Resistant Previousness” and accomplishments of the New Jewel Movement led by Maurice Bishop and the reasons for the American military action. Ingrid Monson (Harvard University) | “Courage and Improvisation” Ashimba: A Portrait of Cooper-Moore Fumi Okiji () | “Fleshiness of Jazz Record: The Tradition in Four 5:45 by Michael Lucio Sternbach Hundred and One Folds” Born in segregated Virginia, Cooper-Moore has been a pivotal Benjamin Piekut (Cornell University) | “The Vernacular Avant-garde and the Low Arts member of the FreeJazz movement since the early 1970s. This film of Resistance” features interviews of Cooper-Moore and his peers, live concert footage, and video taken during his trip to Ethiopia for The Festival of Adam Zanolini (CUNY Graduate Center) | “The Sound of Survival: Undying Humanity in a Thousand Stars. an Age of Cataclysm” Rising Tones Cross | by Ebba Jahn “The early 1980s were a period of transition for the avant-garde in New York. Panel Discussion: The Sound of Resistance: an Emerging Movement The loft scene era had been closed, and the arrival of the Knitting Factory was still a few years away. It fell to the artists themselves to create new ■ Moderator: Scott Curie (University of Minnesota) opportunities. Three such motivated visionaries were bassists William Parker, ■ Cooper-Moore (multi-instrumentalist; composer) , and dancer Patricia Nicholson. The film centers around the ■ Patricia Nicholson Parker (choreographer; Artistic Director of AFA / VISION) Sound Unity Festival.” — Bruce Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery ■ Melanie Dyer (viola, composer, director of education at AFA) ■ Luke Stewart (bass, composer, director CapitolBop) 8:30 David S. Ware: A World of Sound | by Amine Koulder ■ Brandon Lopez (bass, composer) Saxophonist/composer/bandleader David S. Ware began ■ Gargi Shindé (sitar, composer, Program Director, CMA Jazz) a mentor/musical relationship with saxophone colossus , in 1966. Following his arrival in the NYC loft jazz scene of the The conference is free and open to the public. early 70s, word of his potent voice on tenor sax spread quickly. He soon became a member of the Unit, and in 1989 formed Pre-Register at: https://tinyurl.com/n6o4ke4 the David S. Ware Quartet. In this film, David discusses music as a form of meditation and spiritual practice. The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution | by Stanley Nelson Organizing Committee: Scott Currie (University of Minnesota), Brent Hayes Edwards This is the first feature-length documentary to explore the Black (Columbia University), Michael Heller (University of Pittsburgh), Fred Moten (University of Panther Party, its significance to the broader American culture, the California, Riverside), Patricia Nicholson Parker (Arts for Art) cultural and political awakening it represented for black people, and Sponsors: Arts for Art, Columbia University: Center for Jazz Studies, the painful lessons wrought when a movement derails. Nelson goes straight to the source, weaving rare archival footage with the voices Columbia University Office of the Dean of Social Sciences, of the people who were there: police, FBI informants, journalists, University of Pittsburgh Jazz Studies Program white supporters and detractors, and Black Panthers who remained Photos from top: Courtesy of Grenada National Museum, Cooper-Moore by Peter Gannushkin; The Black Panters Stephen Shames National Museum, Cooper-Moore top: Courtesy of Grenada Photos from loyal to the party and those who left it. a contract withfreedom andallow yourself acontradiction withwhatever insultsyour soul. that thefear that motivates you isnotnecessarily thefear that mustdominate you, you purchase pitch ofyour voice. When you finally come to the reality being, the fullness of your expression, and the volume withallofyour turn, contradicting injustice at every of beingafraid that you nolongerfear thework of music. Justice outoffear. isborn isbeingsoafraid It There is, perhaps, nogreater expression ofjustice than PrimitivesDigital withhisoriginal compositions.Survive keep hopealive.” For thisspecialoccasion, Cooper–Moore willforIn Order thefirsttimelead to The motto ofthebandandmusiccomes from thephrase “in order we to must survive to that have fitin doesnotlikeindividualism. to asociety by beenimprisoned trying whose arts the world. Those have whosespirits beenbroken andlivingonreservations, by apartheid, initiated. was founded It to musicto bring thecommunities of thepooranddisfranchised of ofParker’sCooper-Moore hasbeenpart Order “In to Survive” since 1994whenitwas Quartet MONDAY MAY 29 In OrderIn to Survive 9:00 8:00 4:30 7:00 6:30 Celebrating COOPER-MOORE’s LifetimeAchievement We Play itFree We it Rock We Groove it We Play itNew We Play itOld Maya Misra, Bill Mazza, BillMazza, Maya Misra, Ted Riederer Tim Clifford,Kit Fitzgerald,InnerCity Projects—Miriam &JoParker Wood Brown, Vision |For Opening Art These Times Hamid Drake, Patricia Nicholson InvocationOpening Hamid Drake BrownRob William Parker Cooper-Moore Carl Hancock Rux|Poet Hamilton Kirby Guest: Brian PriceGuest: Brian Chad Taylor Cooper-Moore

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Photos from top: Luciano Rossetti @ PHOCUS; Peter Gannushkin; Scott Groller

Photo: Black Host by Mikko Innanen ; Cooper-Moore by Schorle of Sound passingthrough.of Sound —PNParker his musicis the expression of themagic of thisandmore. genius, As withevery came ofage. musicencompasses all His ongoing strugglefor ashe Civil Rights his background andwas informed by the play themusicthat hadcome to himfrom sen by to his community develop and faced. of his talent, Because he was cho andthestrugglesthat he in theSouth to music is uniqueandbasedinhisroots ment at hand. ofhisapproachThe quality that comes through himinto theinstru- makes to eachsound, tone, andrhythm come from thetotal commitment that he holds thepower ofchange. We are aband. Everyone wholistens andhearsjoinsourband. bandstand. I feel our call to the better nature makes a large, especially unique contribution, and will alldrown. We, themembersofBlackHost, are to fortunate findthebestofourselves onthe and confidently make our voices heard andfight right forour for compassionate justice, we today, isforced everyone to makeastand. There allowed, isnopassivity andifwe don’t stand Black Hostisnotapoliticalproject.However, oppressive withthevery climate that we face C ooper-Moore’s contributions to music master multi-instrumentalist with Arts for Art isproud to honorthis forArt Arts the LifetimeAchievement award Multi-Instrumentalist Instrument Builder at Vision Festival 22. Composer - Guest: TrevorDunn Jones Darius Pascal Niggenkemper Brandon Seabrook Cooper-Moore piano Gerald Cleaver as ifthey were one. they listen to eachother Singing, when themoment arrives. unison together inperfect sing “Happy, Happy, I’m Happy to beAlive!” An instrument &aplayer to share thejoy ofbeingalive. breath by anyone how whoknows to catch amuse’s They are ready to beplayed This ishow theinstruments are born. to makethemcome alive again. embracing alltheirsilent voices withhisheart He listens to theirtales, theirpleas& dreams, He listens. including hishands, his feet &hisbelly. sounds He listens to anything around himthat makes He listens. that were once vividlyaware oftheair&water. He listens to &bones shells, skins He listens. He listens to metalthat once sleptintheearth. He listens to wood that once &twigs were atree.

(for Cooper-Moore) by YukoOtomo

He Listens

COOPER-MOORE alt drums guitar o sax bass bass Black Host 9:45 who have passed, andthosewho are livingnow andthosewhohave not yet beenborn. andreal.metaphorical This andintheindividuals musicisembodied inthecommunity embrace thismusicasourown. This freedom to choosewhat, when,andhow to play isboth space. intheAfricanThis diaspora and slavery. free jazzhasitshistory As musicians, we moment where time stops and the sounds can us moveto another psychic and transport Perhaps ourmusiccanbearespite, a color andtheattacks ongenderequality. onslaught ofracism againstpeopleof over usifwe thinkabouttheviolent time marker. ofnihilismcantake Akind This moment intime feels likeadystopian Three Stories Yoshiko Chuma’s ofHard Knocks School TUESDAY MAY 30 7:30 12-4 7:00 come together andresist. ofmefeels lostatdictatorships. thedailydevelopment Apart ofevents. Butwe must to hisbase, andhisconsolidation ofpower follows thepattern ofmany fascistic oppressive regimes. Trump’s suppression ofthemedia,hisfear andhate driven appeal Estonia, and Hungary, andhave experienced first-hand the remnantsrise of orthe Since 1986, I have traveled to Turkey, Egypt, Albania,Palestine, Romania, Macedonia, improvisers to jointogether theiruniquevoices into astatement ofcreative resistance. I have beendeveloping withthebestdancers, thiswork, choreographers, and Joëlle Léandre Dick Robert Masaoka Miya In the Marketplace at Judson Memorial Church, at theMarketplace JudsonMemorial pre-registration required.In NYCHeal Body | Wellness andmassage clinic, acupuncture “Dead End,“Dead Hey! Women” Dance: Eda, I-NamJiemvitayanukoonMegumi Reading: Yoshiko Chuma Patricia Kendzior, Megan Nicholson, Kathy Ray, Parker, Miriam Catherine Galasso, Ursula Eagly, Eda, Bonansea, Christine Megumi Projections:Live Art Concept: Melnick, TatyanaMelnick, Tenebaum,

Heather Liteer Yoshiko Chuma Jodi

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Photos: Three Stories by Ken Weiss and Scott Friedlander

Photos from top: Lucas Lebrun, Nobu Awata, Luciano Rossetti @ PHOCUS concern for thosewhoare incarcerated unjustly. shadows thelives ofthosewhohave beenlostinpoliticalandracial unrest, andto addavoice of improvisation, underrepresented peopleandtheenvironments inwhichtheylive. Through collaboration and andfreeThe jazzto highlight Jazz&PoetryChoirCollective thestrugglesof usespoetry minds, opendiscussions, empathy, compromise, andjustice. music infusedwithhonesty, creativity, open andquestioning, canbeacatalyst risk, innurturing using that asastrengthening agent inthegoalofcompassion, inclusion,andlove. Ifeel that unique listener, hopingto illuminate theemotions, ideas, andstories we have incommon, and and smallactions. The musicIaimto create withmy witheach isaboutconnecting fellow artists with whomyou change, disagree? movement, Large-scale andgrowth, ofsmallsteps isaseries your colleagues, your parents, your children, your friends, your lovers? How do you treat those we art to celebrate useourart thisplanetsovitalto ourexistence, to pullfrom the Jazz &Poetry Choir Collective |MyNameis Witness Warren Smith Phylisha Villanueva Solomon Golda SullivanChristopher Dean Hertlein Rosie E.J. Antonio T.A.Michael Thompson Mary Brandon Seabrook Taylor HoBynum Alessi Ralph Gerald Cleaver Tomas Fujiwara people around you. How doyou treat your neighbor, towards withthesmallactions the Justice starts

Music islove, love ismusic. For thefuture, for ourfuture especiallynow. We strive to pushboundaries, especiallynow. Music islove, love ismusic.

Tomas Fujiwara Double Trio

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and intention. landscape focused onspontaneous feeling together. As a duo, they produce a multimedia change, becausevibrations are what holdus happen. Jeremy drumsto helppropel this is where transformationshe believes art can because isaperformer K.J. mind andheart. reconstruction of rhythms of body, sound, improvising theconstruction/deconstruction/ percussionist Jeremy Carlstedt will be Holmesanddrummer/ K.J. Dance artist defining words. freefurious jazz.Fullness are andbeauty the andchanges.shifts This isnotfastand that expand ecstatically. There willbe episodic silences. There conjunctions willbepowerful be independence by oflinepunctuated potent share, whichspeaksto usaswe play. There will There isastrong musicalbond, atrustthat we about it. we without thinking know everything created summonsforth ourown vibration. It the vibration inthemoment. Eachofushas This musicwill be freely composed offof

Photos from top: Len Nguyen; Marek Lazarski; Vojtěch Brtnický

Photos from top: Scott Friedlander; RichardCode; Ken Weiss water,Blue sky they won meup. whenthey --lift Blue ain’t just afeeling Blue ain’t justafeeling sharks --smellblood. Black bodiesonewithculture, color withthe thecultureIndigo thecolorIndigo Katrina Blues spectrum ofwavesspectrum into wholenessandstrength. defy humanity’s constant state ofwar. our soundandliberated into song. Through as unspoken vibrations that reverberate throughout communities and across generations. theviolence areblood ofdeeplyheldmemories notrelived buttransposed into moving across and beating down thelies that beat usdown. flower as Hope, while TASound beat of Thompson keeps theheart propelling intent moving usinto anemphatic revelation ofthe inAmerica. Being William Parker holdsdown Sound, theRoot liberation movement, and theexperience asanAfrican Human ofthewhole. a part The thechurch, musicreflects thestreets, the the great African orAfrican musicthat American camebefore. is It itintobrings thepresent tense. Free His musicdoesnotreplace of African Gayle calls upon the music entireand Charles history Jason Kao Hwang’s BurningBridge|blood in our sound rises withinourvoice inoursoundrises blood to protest and regeneratesblood andflows to entrain aninfinite Michael TAMichael Thompson William Parker Gayle Charles Tracie Poet |Sound Morris traumas ofwar retained withinthebody meditatesblood upon theemotional Andrew Drury Ken Filiano Sun Li Wang Guowei Steve Swell Joe Daley Taylor HoBynum Hwang Jason Kao Marvin Sewell Marvin

WEDNESDAY MAY 31

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sax tr ombone ophone guitar drums c drums violin ornet bass er tuba pipa bass hu 10:00 9:40 8:30 Odean Pope Saxophone Choir THURSDAY JUNE1 Djassi DaCosta Johnson /Shayna Dulberger | Warrior ofLight and the art and artists that laidthefoundations that isnow. for andartists theart and theart are inspired by theconversation between musicanddance, soundandsong, pastandfuture, of Judson Church dance and the steepedmodern movement. in the history collaborations Our improvisationalstructured ofJazz,aswell forms Renaissance,as intheHarlem born inthebirth musical and danceOur synthesis will explore the tradition Anthems of American written inthe1950s. future” as interpreted in this country through the exploration ofwhat thefoundations are for “a just collaborationOur for the Vision Festival is an tinue my dream. and whenIseethemusicians’ faces inanewcomposition whenIbring itinspires meto con withmyworking Saxophone musicfor Choirandwriting itfor 40+years now. ismy voice, It ist soIcreated it. Ithinkitismy Ihave pure timewe soulthat been comes perform. outevery 8:00 5pm 9am- 7:00 12-4 Shayna Dulberger DaCostaDjassi Johnson In the Marketplace at Judson Memorial Church, at theMarketplace JudsonMemorial pre-registration required.In NYCHeal Body | Wellness andmassage clinic, acupuncture Craig McIver Tom Lawton Lee Smith Joe Sudler Landham Robert Louis Taylor Julian Pressley Terry Lawson Ghee Gene PopeOdean Conference at Columbia University The ofResistance Sound | VISION

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Photos from top: John Abbott; Cresta Kruger

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FRIDAY JUNE2 Joe McPhee’sJoe The |For Dream Book Ornette Coleman and Plan Chicago and aspirations. voices Our willnever besilenced. hold and suffocatingclouds from taking ourdreams Through oursoundwe strive to dispersethosedark candoto free ourmindsandspirit. of what thearts a positive voice to heal. We want to remind eachother ChicagoPlan’spushing back. directive prime isto add thanever that musicbethepositiveimportant energy us scared, confused, and impotent, it is more energy ofanewadministration hell-bent onkeeping atimewhenyouIn canliterally feel theoppressive 5:30 8:00 7:00 He thenproceeded to blow the bluesaway onlykeys“The Ihave are the keys inmy pocket.” To whichMr. Coleman replied, what“In key would you like to play?” Roy Campbell Jr. asked thegreat man, as would always bethecase, for asessionoflife lessons At agathering ofmusiciansat Ornette’s place, Roland Larry Duval Jr.Dominic Minasi Dom Hertlein Rosie Joe McPhee ZerangMichael Fred Lonberg-Holm Steve Swell In In Washington Sq. Park, NYC for aFreeArtists World Marching Band VISION

Live VideoProjections: BillMazza

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Photo: Joe McPhee by Michael Wilderman

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from current news sources.

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happiness ofthehumanspecies. diversity shouldcontributeOur to ahealthy for andproductive multiplicity thecontinuity and shouldbelike:true justice,what society inwhichwe coexist, listen andrelate to each other. sentiments. andlibertarian is guidedby abstract This is in the60s. The freedom that eachmusicianexperiences The free Ayler, jazzprophet, Albert told usaboutajustworld Quartet in thismusicwithuswillfindsomething valuable that ofbeingalive.reminds themofthebeauty been. We feel to privileged engageinthisprocess, anditisourhopethat thosewhoparticipate ifwe are lucky,can imagine—and themusicwilltakeusastep further, to aplace we have never we seekto expand ourawareness sothat theshapeofwhat we play reaches thelimitsofwhat we remain undiscoveredwould otherwise and inaccessible. As we locate ourselves within the music express dimensionsofhumanexperience andfeeling that We makemusicbecausedoingsoallows usto explore and Indeed, uprightness. this interior inlife. journey JUSTICE-aloyal attribute inaction. toof striving beourtotal selfby accompanying eachotherin love andsouls. –joy inourhearts We accelerate theprocess ingenious application. Hostingallrealities to asinglepoint of harmonies, andrhythms, JUSTICEmay betheinsight for Yes, ofcourse, asitisintones, melodies, poems, dance, Positive Knowledge w/Andrew Cyrille ofJustice |Certainty SATURDAY JUNE3 12-2 8:30 7:30 6:30 3:30 Whit Dickey Bisio Michael Shipp Matthew Ivo Perelman Daniel Levin Maneri Mat Meditation-Qi Gong-and Dharma Dharma Gong-and Meditation-Qi NYCHeal Body |RefugeFrom The Political Storm: Forum onRacism Parkerled by Miriam andHamidDrake intheMarketplace, pre-registration required Malaby /Levin /Maneri Guest: Andrew Cyrille Ijeoma Thomas Oluyemi Thomas VISION ­

Live VideoProjections: BillMazza

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Photos from top: by Lucciano Rossetti @ PHOCUS; Peter Gannushkin (2)

Photos from top: by Jimmy Katz; Patrick Landolt and Amiri Baraka and Amiri by text Gwendolyn ofpagedand oral andextensions Brooks, literary Black hollerin Kaufman Bob James Brandon Lewis and musicians formed by poet thetradition ofasignifyingIn protest groove comes Heroes are Leaders, Gang agroup ofpoets This isFreedom, afreedom to beuniqueandcreative andcompassionate. where asociety racismactions, isput to rest andwe embrace theuniquenessofallpeople. and ourgovernment treat allpeoplewell. We inwhich compassion want guidesour asociety standards ofcreative excellence amessageofHope andademandthat oursociety, to carry 2017 asafluidbandofmusiciansanddancers demonstrations. at weekly thehighest We bring future. Patricia for began A organizingFree Artists and Nicholson directing World on Jan. 20, We dance in Freedom. We have developed artists our unique voices to express our hope for the exciting anddifferent from anything Ihave ever brought to this great VISIONFESTIVAL. rarely do. infectiousenthusiasticalways spirit His takesmy to horns anotherlevel. This willbe trio ever since. andIhave Kahil composed songs, whichheleadsandIanswer vocally, somethingI “Voices, sounds, anddance move across space to state thecasethat we are all Part 2: Part William Parker for |Soliloquy thechildren who 1:Oliver LakePart |Justice forSongs aFree World Voices: Fay Victor, LisaSokolov, Kidambi, Amirtha Andrea Wolper, JeanCarla Rodea disenfranchised unlesswe love unconditionally. allhumanBeings have losteverything andtheFlowers that saved them . hasmanyTheir style mothers, many fathers, combining Jazz, groove, Chicago onmy way backto NYC. We have been playing musictogether in oneanothersince 1975whenweknown metonabasketballcourt 50 years. I can’t wait to hear him and playI have El’Zabar with us. Kahil on boththebassandguitar, playing withmany ofthegreat leadersfor put together for the Vision Festival. Mr. Eastman,hasbeenapioneer Eastmanisaspecialproject andGerry El’Zabar featuring trio Our Kahil Thomas Sayers Ellis This action iscalledmusic.”This action BillMazza Live videoart: Dancers: Patricia Parker, Miriam Nicholson, JasonJordan -percussion;Dan Kurfirst William -bass Parker drums; HamidDrake - Cooper-Moore-piano; Rhythm Section: Horns: Vincent Chancey, JaimieBranch Moshe, Dave Borca Sewelson, Karen OliverReeds: Lake, Abraham Lee Mennen, Ras Odom, Dyer,Strings: Melanie Gwen JeanCook, Laster Gerry Eastman Gerry El’Zabar Kahil David Murray , and his frequent collaborator saxophonist

SATURDAY JUNE3 sax, bassclar David Murray TrioDavid bass per cussion , guitar inet 10:30 9:30

ART AT VISION For These Times A group exhibition featuring the work of Tim Clifford, Kit Fitzgerald, Vision Art Opening Inner City Projects Innercity projects (Jo Wood Brown/Miriam Parker), Bill Mazza, May 29th, 4:00 - 5:30 pm - Pendulum Stories Maya Misra, and Ted Riederer. @Judson Memorial Church Innercity projects grew out of the For These Times presents a wide-ranging group of artists inspired by 3rd Floor Balcony environment of the Vision Festival with its the Vision Festival’s principles of artistic expression and embrace of music, dance, visual art and commitment to working towards a just future. spoken word. These multi art forms fluidly The exhibition includes Innercity projects’ large-scale pendulum of amber-colored glass, Ted Riederer combine in our work. Ted Riederer’s blacked-out album cover poems, the video projections of When I was 16 my mother was hospitalized Kit Fitzgerald and Bill Mazza, Maya Misra’s stamp and flag works, and drawings for an entire year. In spite of the trauma from Tim Clifford’s Bloodletting series. of that year, I thrived. I was redeemed because I joined a band and was embraced Open Daily from 6 pm @ Judson Memorial Church 3rd Floor Balcony by the underground music community Gallery Hours : May 30 (Tue), June 1(Thur), & June 3rd (Sat) noon - 4:00 pm of Washington, DC. Since that formative experience, my work has been guided by an investigation into the redemptive One of the characteristics of free jazz is Tim Clifford power of the symbols of music and musical a relationship between structure and My recent work investigates the intersection between aesthetics and communities. Through my Never Records improvisation. Open structures allow for violence and more broadly how objects and images absorb meaning project, I have learned that the fellowship a spontaneous or free exchange between and become embedded with history. of performance that music engenders the community onstage and the audience. The work asserts, in the words of the poet George Oppen, that, “There transcends political, social, and economic Pendulum Stories is part of a larger work are things we live among / and to see them / Is ‘to know ouselves.’” issues. As Free Nomadic Structures. The pendulum acts as The works shown here belong to my Bloodletting series. Bloodletting Jazz continues a metronome between the stained glass was practiced for centuries to balance the humors and restore the to innovate windows of Judson Church and the amber body to health. In England, this practice was the province of the and remix the glass suspended triangle which is its own Barber-Surgeon; clean and bloodied bandages would be hung outside, idioms of music, source of light. Dancers internal movement twisting in the wind–which in time developed into the barber-pole we the Vision Fest vocabulary combines formal and archetypal know today (or so the story goes). galvanizes a strategies to engage directly with viewer community participants around the pendulum’s motion Kit Fitzgerald Maya Misra through the fellowship of a beloved to explore the potential of a free exchange art form. of energies. I create video images live, in real-time, Art for me is first and foremost about the bringing to video the same type of people it represents, as well as the audience. immediacy and body connection as found The Vision Festival similarly focuses not only Bill Mazza in music and performing arts. Like an on art itself, In 2001 I attended the sixth annual Vision Festival, beginning my relationship with Arts improvising musician, my video is both but also on for Art. Since those ten days and nights at the Knitting Factory, Arts for Art has affected, scored and improvised. My video paint-box the people effected, and infected every part of my practice, helping expand my definition of interdisci- is my horn. I breathe through it, working who enrich plinary and improvisational arts, and acting as locus for collaborative practice, community in freely while listening closely: expressing it - because and through the arts, and social justice. The Vision Festival prefigures freedom through art. beauty and the reality of life. I believe art really, what is My own work traces the spatial and temporal relationships can bring change, not by telling people the purpose of individuals within mediated environments. Mapping what to do, of art if it fails to address the needs of the these relationships include a) the application of traditional but by feeding larger community? My work as an artist techniques to conceptual landscapes, b) creating visual the spirit. By therefore aims to build conversations and artifacts during a defined durational experience or engaging the relationships as a means of celebrating activity, and c) though ephemeral, digital paintings as audience, we our national diversity, while fighting back performance, including membership in Patricia Nicholson’s allow art to have against institutional forces that seek to interdisciplinary, improvisational dance/music/painting that power. divide us. quintet, ‘Resurrection Revolution’. AN INTERVIEW WITH COOPER-MOORE [ Ken Weiss ]

KW: You changed your name in 1985. Many musicians have adopted Muslim names over the years but your name change is different. What’s the story behind your unusual hyphenated name change? CM: I called myself Cooper-Moore after granny Cooper on the top and granny Moore on the bottom. Because I didn’t think of myself as a particularly nice person. I took the names of my grandmothers because you can’t be bad in front of your grandmothers. That was like the beginning of a new life for me. To be a good person is a fine thing to do. KW: What’s your approach to music? What are you striving to create? CM: If I’m playing for people, I want to move them. I come from a background of rural Virginia where I was chosen to be a musician by local community leaders. They came to my house and asked my mother for me to take piano lessons so that the black com- munity would have a musician. So my thinking about music is that I serve my audience and community. I played for church, funerals, weddings, school, Sunday school, what- Cooper-Moore with grandmothers. Photo by Kelly Rae Weime. ever people needed. I played for the people and hopefully moved them. Blues is about relieving stress and that’s what I want to do. what I saw in these pictures were hip people. They were cool, they looked good and KW: How does music effect you? their stance was different from the servile stances that I saw daily in segregated, apart- CM: I participate in a [musical] community which often times is labeled avant-garde but heid, rural Virginia. These were stars and they were important, not only in America, but I don’t find it so avant-garde. I don’t find it much different from what I heard in the late around the world, and they became important people to me. I wanted to hear their mu- ’50s. As an individual, what I want to do for people in lifting them up, is different from sic and when I was 13-years-old, I would get on a bus and go to Washington D.C. to buy what I want for myself as a musician. Music for me personally is a tool. A tool for me to music. I got to hear Ornette Coleman and Monk and I said, ‘I want to be who they are.’ raise myself and push my consciousness beyond where it is now. Sometimes people in KW: Would you talk about being put into a box, being classified as a musician who plays the audience realize that, sometimes they don’t. So, it’s two separate things – what I’m a certain way? doing for people and how I use music for myself. I sit here and I practice 6-7-8 hours a day. That’s like a meditation, a tool to move me through the day and to grow me. It’s also CM: Certain people think I’m the guy who plays crazy, wild piano. There are other people so that when I do get on stage, that I have the tool and the spirit to move people. who say, “Oh, no. He’s the guy who builds instruments.” Or some think of me as the guy who does film music or works with dance companies or the tenant organizer or writes KW: How do you keep coming up with new magic? the operas. I do all of that. That’s their problem. My problem is to get it all done while I’m CM: I stay open. I pay attention to my thinking. I really listen to my quiet thoughts be- here and have a great, interesting, fun life. I cannot be bored. Boredom is death. cause most often, your most creative thoughts are coming to you quietly and not as a KW: How did you teach yourself to play? big epiphany. I’m a loud person but I listen to my quiet thoughts to get hints of what to do. I spend a lot of time at home, I’m not a social being anymore. My meditation is cook- CM: It’s a trust thing that goes on inside of you. You build this thing but the thing is the ing and washing dishes and clothes and when I’m doing those things, that’s when the tool for the other stuff that is waiting to come out. It’s already worked out. I don’t play it really creative thoughts come and I write the notes or pictures down. like a harp player because something inside says, ‘Don’t play it like that, it’s gonna’ throw you off kilter.’ I don’t have to work at it. It’s not like the piano, which has a history… I don’t KW: How did the early traditional masters effect you? have to break any tradition. It just comes out and that’s the truth. I allow myself to do it. CM: I grew up in a time in apartheid America in Virginia, the segregation of the races. You act like you know what you’re doing. You have to act, you have to move toward it. What I knew about the outside world from this rural village that I lived in, about who KW: What’s your obligation to the audience when you’re performing? black people were, came from Jet and Ebony magazine and sometimes the black news- papers out of Philly, Baltimore or Washington when someone would come through and CM: My job is to bring on certain sensations and feelings. You play in church, you’re part drop one off. I also had family that would send me old Downbeat and Metronome maga- of a spiritual presentation. In the universities, they’re not going to teach you how to lift zines. In these magazines I would see black people, musicians and their names, and people up and help them get through the week. POETRY

“Operation” Her passion echoes my Mom’s— Raymond Nat Turner wearing out phones; Marching shoe heels off, I hear the Dr.— Fighting for—founding her the healer—speaking Community’s hospital and fractured eye sockets, Medical School— shattered skulls, room temperature tears ruptured bladders— crescendo down my cheeks, tubes in throats flooding Memory Lane… singing silently I’m imagining magic of Mom’s hand: of blunt force peppery greens, golden cornbread, My snare tightens— turnips, beets, pinto , beating about blessings the crispy fried chicken, or meatloaf, children and I were granted peach cobbler, or sweet potato pie— I hear the Dr.— seven courses for every year the the healer—speaking of Dr. studied medicine in Spanish; Bronx boulders, deadly detours, I’m watching them clear the table— tragic odysseys, then seven years Launching into ‘hows,’ for good luck, studying in Cuba! Serving For the umpteenth time I wonder The People—even better! what life would’ve looked like had Seconds later—another program the boulders not blocked my Is on—and I Brother’s path to pinstripes? hear its Dr.— She speaks passionately of night vision goggles, air support, about bedside manner, care, blast radius, speak ‘theaters,’ for Healing—thankfully—not a an whisper of ‘insurance’ or ‘Operation’ ‘coverage…’ To ‘retake’ Mosul…

“….and justice for all”

just as “we hold these truths to be self- as the smoke clears evident” there is more than can be imagined just as we cherish our “inalienable rights” and more to yet attain - but they can vanish in a blink there are constants that remain in FLUX - if WE do not ACT do not RESIST even as we become more accustomed to PERSIST in using our VOICES our BODIES their “stability” our right to peacefully congregate and and expect them to always be there for us: PROTEST against INJUSTICE FREEDOM CHOICE APPLE PIE STARRY NIGHTS if we do not pursue a JUST WORLD the right to be oneself the WORLD JUST might pass us by the right of self-determination and the smoke will veil our VISION we take these things for granted and therefore make us blind. NECESSARY POSSIBILITY AND THE IMPOSSIBLE REALITY [ Adam Zanolini ] change, possibility . . . And it flows from an individual and collective imperative to THE VISION FESTIVAL is resist limitation, stasis, and an impossible reality, some- the force of destruction, by how not only existing and the power of unstoppable surviving, but flying! further creation. and further into the twenty- Now, there’s this question first century. And I think it’s that keeps coming up: How timely to remember how can music, largely instru- the festival was born dur- mental music, do anything ing a time after jazz had en- like effect political change? gendered a familiar kind of Well maybe they’re not go- aesthetic authoritarianism, ing to play a piece that (boom) starts a being systematically contained into the revolution right here in Judson Church, Colorless sterility of institution and con- although I wouldn’t rule that out! It seems vention which, I would argue, are its nat- more likely though that they’ll inspire new ural antitheses. But there were a few de- heights of human consciousness through termined musicians and artists and poets extremes of self-discipline indexed by and dancers that insisted on stretching, complex sound, through extremes of ab- exceeding jazz and out-imagining any straction that defy linear thought in their boundaries any mind could imagine beauty irrespective of structural formal- around it. They made a festival. ity, or simply through the gathering of This is its 22nd year. this community of spirit beings commit- Now… who could have predicted ted to thinking, and to creating, and to that? There must be something neces- loving further than what has ever been sary about it for the artists and for the known before. people who love to listen. And maybe Now. Right now, I can think of noth- even for the society that made it pos- ing more absolutely necessary than what sible. Maybe the festival’s essential spirit the Vision Festival represents, what it is actually what makes this society possi- does, and the possibilities it creates for ble. The Vision Festival builds impossible those of us whose faith and hope are be- beauty out of unruly fields of interper- ing tested by a rising tide of fear and ha- sonal, political, and spiritual love-power, tred in America among many other coun- made to coalesce into sound- and other tries. So we will sit together and hear how kinds of music like paint-music, move- respect and equality among artists mani- music, word-music and such phantas- fests into the sound of the infinite and the magoric splendor as can emerge by the eternal parts of our humanity, how light intersections between them all. At its dispels even the thickest darkness, and core is improvisation = adaptation, mo- how Now is always the best time, the only

Photo: Charels Gayle by Lucciano Rossetti @ PHOCUS Photo: Charels tion, response, indeterminacy, courage, time that’s in our hands. REMEMBERING CONNIE CROTHERS [ Patricia Nicholson Parker ]

CONNIE CROTHERS lived her adult Life with an unwavering dedication to Music, to improvisation, to Social Justice - particularly racial justice - and to Community. She wasn’t just a “good person” she was a Great human being. She was not only a good musician, she was a Great musical artist. And she was my friend, supporting and understanding me as very few did because her cause was my cause and our cause. I felt less alone because of her. I don’t want to mourn her death because that would mean that she isn’t with me. And I don’t feel that to be the case. She is with us at every demonstration that we go to. She is with us when we take our Art seriously and go be- ADV yond ourselves with utter dedication. Of course I will feel her loss as well as her presence at the Vision this year.

FREEDOM AND IMPROVISATION What is freedom? What is improvisation? The energy within the first split second when I breathe I’m in another dimension, somewhere in the unbounded place then my fingers go into the keys and as if by magic the music rushes through and leaps out of the piano it is alive with its own life pouring through me taking on my configuration of feeling energy surprising me with its force and strange beauty entirely unknown to me before. The boundaries of my body my arms hands fingers and the surface of the keys give way to this streaming there are no boundaries anywhere no time no space only the note— and then there is the next note— Improvisation is going into mystery, the place where creation happens. Freedom is the note. The soul of our humanity is the only thing that will release us from centuries of oppression into the freedom of people, together. That is why we have such a burning need for art — Connie Crothers Photo: Connie Crothers and Patricia Nicholson Parker by Peter Gannushkin Photo: Connie Crothers ADV

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